Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike make history as first sisters to participate in WNBA All-Star Game

Former Stanford stars CHINEY and NNEKA OGWUMIKE became the first pair of sisters ever selected to participate in the WNBA All-Star Game, which takes place Saturday, July 19, in Phoenix. Chiney, ’14, will be a reserve for the East, while Nneka, ’12, will come off the bench for the West.

The sisters continue to make history after becoming only the second set of siblings selected No. 1 overall in an American professional sports draft. Nneka was taken with the top pick in the 2012 draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, before Chiney went No. 1 to the Connecticut Sun earlier this year. Chiney’s all-star selection in her rookie season comes during Nneka’s second all-star-worthy season and third year in the league overall.

Nneka is averaging 14.8 points per game, a career high, and grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game for the Sparks to rank 13th in the league in both categories. She has started all 20 games so far in 2014 and 87 of 88 during her three years in Los Angeles.

Chiney ranks in the top 10 in scoring (8th, 15.4 points per game), rebounding (7th, 8.4 per game) and blocks (6th, 1.2 per game) in the WNBA. She leads the league in offensive rebounds with 86 on her way to nine double-doubles, good for second-best in the league. She has scored in double figures in all but one game this season, including a 25-point, 10-rebound outburst at Minnesota in her second career game.

Reserves were chosen by the WNBA’s 12 head coaches. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team. They selected reserves by voting for six players within their own conference, including two guards, three frontcourt players and one player regardless of position.

Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game at US Airways Center in Phoenix will be nationally televised on ESPN, with tip-off at 12:30 p.m. PT.